Lucknow, Dec 1 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested a young dalit, who confessed having vandalised the statue of B.R. Ambedkar in Kanpur earlier this week, that triggered violent protests in Maharashtra.

The arrested man was identified as Arun Valmiki, a resident of Sarojini Nagar locality in the north Indian state's major industrial town.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Daljit Chaudhary told IANS Friday: "Valmiki has confessed to damaging the Ambedkar statue Wednesday along with his two friends."

According to him, Valmiki claimed that he and his friends committed the act in a drunken state and had no specific motive behind vandalising the statue of the architect of the Indian constitution.

"We are in the process of tracking down the two other culprits," Chaudhary added.